Jimmy Chin & Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi

Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin are award-winning documentary directors. Working together combines Chai’s knowledge as a prolific filmmaker and Jimmy’s unique experiences working with some of the greatest explorers, adventurers, and athletes in the world as a director, cinematographer and photographer. They have worked together on projects for National Geographic, The North Face, and The New York Times.

Chai and Jimmy co-directed the documentary, Free Solo,which follows climber Alex Honold as he becomes the first person to ever ascend to the top of Yosemite’s 3,000ft high El Capitan – without a rope. The film is an inspiring portrait of how Alex achieved one of his lifelong dreams. With beautiful cinematography and inspirational storytelling, Free Solo made its world premiere at the 2018 Telluride Film Festival, won the People’s Choice Documentary award at 2018 Toronto International Film Fest, won the 2019 BAFTA Award for Best Documentary, and is the 2019 Oscar Winner for Best Documentary.

Their Sundance documentary MERU, winner of the Audience Award, became the highest grossing independent documentary film of 2015 and was shortlisted for the Academy Awards. The astounding film chronicles the story of three close friends – those among the world’s best professional climbers – who battle their complicated pasts, inner demons and nature’s harshest elements to conquer the Shark’s Fin on Mount Meru.

A prolific filmmaker, Chai has directed several award-winning feature documentaries. Her first film A Normal Life, won Best Documentary at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2003. Her second film, Youssou N’Dour: I Bring What I Love, premiered at the Telluride and Toronto Film Festivals and won numerous awards including the Special Jury Prize at the Middle East International Film Festival in 2008 and a nomination for the Pare Lorentz Award at the 2009 International Documentary Association Awards. Chai has filmed in Senegal with her visceral documentary Touba that takes the viewer through each step of the annual Mouride pilgrimage, the Grand Magaal in Touba, Senegal, premiered at SXSW 2013 where it won the Special Jury Prize for Best Cinematography. And returning to film in 2012 to document the heated Presidential elections with her film Incorruptible – an unflinching story of Senegalese democracy premiered at the Los Angeles and Sheffield UK Film Festivals.

For Netflix, Chai helmed the story of Ralph Gilles as part of the original documentary series Abstract: The Art of Design. The film takes a look at Gilles’ life and work as head designer for Fiat Chrysler and someone who has created some of the greatest designs of our era.

As a director and cinematographer, Jimmy has shot and directed documentaries, TV, and commercial projects for the Apple, Chase Bank, The North Face, Pirelli, Squarespace, Red Bull and National Geographic. His unique experiences give him an unparalleled sensibility in capturing the authentic in some of the most challenging conditions and locations in the world. Jimmy is able to tackle adventuresome and complex productions worldwide.

Together Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin co-direct commercials and branded projects at Nonfiction Unlimited.